Compressed air cooler



Sept 21 1943- c. E. s'rAKY 2,329,953

coMPREssED AIR COOLER Filed Feb. l2, 1942 Patented Sept. 21, 1943 o jfcolvirnnssnn oooLER Carl.EfStakyi-Wausau, Wisl.,r`assignor` to D.- J."

y Murray, `Malnufacturing' `corporation o` f Wisconsin rapplicati@rbmary;12;1942, seriaiiva 430,528 l (30.,r Wausau, Wis., a j* SYCIams- (Claw-'19,811 A* -f `The presen-t invention relates'generally to improvements in the-art of heat exchange; and relates more specicallytovarious improvements in the construction and Aoperation of coolers'for extracting heat Vand moistureA from vcomr'i'ressed air or the like being delivered from a compresser,

An object of the invention is to provide an improved air coolingunit Awhich is simple Aand compact in construction, and which ismoreover automatic and highly efcient in operationf f It is common commercial practiceim the art oflcompressing air or other gas withy the aid of a compressor, to provide a so`called after-cooler for reducing the temperature of the compressed fluid and for removing the liquid of `condensation .4

therefrom. While some of the prior cooling -assemblages of this general type are quite 'satisfac-V tory in operation, mostof them are objectionable either because they are too complicated and bulky, ror because they require-considerable attention andare tion, or because they are'too costly to construct and cannot vloe readily furnished as a unitary structure the capacity'of which may be readily varied to suit differentconditionsof operation.

not sufcientlyreliable'in opera-'- tages of thev present invention willbe apparent thereof having beenbrok'en "away and shown in section in order to reveal normally concealed structure; f f f f Fig.l 2fi s an end view ofthe cooling assemblage y o f Fig. 1,7 with portions likewisebroken away; j y Fig-3 is an enlarged part -sectional side :View

' 'of one-of the standard nned heattransferfsec- Many of the prior compressed air coolers have ltherefore been relatively objectionable'forj one reason or another, and could not bestandardized so as to minimize the cost of manufacture thereof. "It is therefore a more specific object of'my present invention to provide a new andv useful compressed air cooler which obviates allfof the above mentioned vrdifficulties and objections,fand is therefore extremely eiicient and dependable 1nV use.

Another specic object of this invention is to provide `an `improved compressor after-cooler:l which occupies least space considering theca, pacity thereof, and which can be producednby merely assembling any desired number of'standftions and Fig; 14 is a similarly enlarged transverse ver- 4 tical section-throughthe'finned heat transfer section of Fig; 3, take'nf'along the line 4-4; Y'

While the invention has been-shown'herein as being embodied inawater cooled 'compressed'air coolingand condensate extraction unit comprising two-adjacent -sets `of fivesuperimposed stand# ard nned heat transfer'sections especiallyv adapt ed for use as an aft er-cooler, it is not the inten# ytion to thereby unnecessarily restricty thev scope orb utility of the f-improvement, -since the ass'eml ard finned heat transfersections in series/andyin a simple manner,

A further specic` object ofinvention Visis-tro,

provide an improved cooling unit especially adapted for cri-operation with the discharge line of an air compressor, which functions automati` cally to both eifectively ,cool the compressed air and to remove lcondensate therefrom. Still anotherspeciiic object of my invention is to provide an improved cooler assembly-all parts of which-'are readily accessible'forinspec- :l

tion and removal, in which the; heat transfer sections are amply protected,"and which can'be manufacturedand sold at moderate cost.

These and Vother specific objects and :ativan-1,

bla'ge' may also be used as'I van'interstage cooler for'multiple stage compressor systems H Referring to vthe drawing,` the improved coin-y pressed air cooling'and condensateremoving unitshown therein, comprises in general," a main recv .tangular outer casing 6 having thereinspaced parallel "upright partitions or walls l forming a medial. water circulating chamber 8; two adjaL cent series each comprisingfive superimposed interchangeably similarand externally finned heat transfer sections Seachv having opposite upper and lower endbosses |,l l respectively, snugly .mounted in openings formed inthe adjacent walls Iso that ther sections 9 are suspended hori-l zontallywithin and span the'cchamber 3; a pair of compressed airsupply'pipes I2 communicating with the interiors of the upper sections 9 of th'etwo'series through the upper bosses thereof; 1a returnbend IS connecting the lower boss'llfof-each'radiator section Al! with the upperboss Ill of thefseotiondirectly thereb'eneath; a pair of Qoled air `outlet pipes |13 'communicating with the interiors of thelowermost radiator secf te the same or similarl usedfin producing vthe new cooling unit;

tions 9 of the two series through the lower bosses II thereof; c, condensate discharge pipe I5 communicating with the lowermost portion of each air outlet pipe I4 and leading to a trap; a cold water supply pipe I6 commuicating with the lower portion of the chamber 8 beneath the finned sections 9; and a spent cooling water discharge pipe Il communicating with the upper `portion of the chamber above the radiator sections 9,

and being connected to a suitable drain not` 4pressed air through the interiors of the finned `sections 9, aconstant stream of cold water should shown.

The main casing 6 which provides a protective housing for the entire cooling unit, is open for inspection at the top and may be formed-of lsheet metal or the like. In addition to thewater supe ply and discharge pipes I6, I1, the casing 8 is i provided with a drain plug'` -IB at, the lower por` tion oi the chamber 8, and with an overflow connection I9 at the upper extremity of the cooling chamber. The parallel transverse walls 5I which c form the chamber `landirom which the finned cooling sections 9 are suspended, are rigidly :interconnected and spaced apart a deiinite distance, by means of tie-rods v2! and spacer sleeves ZI located in pairs above and below the Aheat transfer sections 9; `and the entire wall and finned section assemblage may be removably mounted within the main :casing B so as to permit bodily insertion and removal of the assemblage. The tie-rods 20 are provided with clampingwashers; 22 and nuts 23 vfor `iirmly uniting the parts, and serve to retain the bosses I0., -II of the .heat transfer sections 9 snuglyconfined Within circular openings 24 formed in the` -walls l. The edges of the walls l need not necessarily have water-tight coaction, with the adjacent .internal surfaces of the main casing 6, vsince -it is immaterial whether some cooling liquid seeps from the space 8 into the spaces beyond these walls l; but the coaction between the walls 1 and the main casingl 6 should be sufficiently loose so kas .to permit ready removal and insertion of the coil and wall assemblage..

The iinned heat transfer sections 9 farefof relatively standard and interchangeable construc-4 tion,V as shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4 and each of these sections comprises an elongated ,relatively iiat hollow body 25 formed integral vwith the corresponding bosses Il), fI I., and `a plurality of parallel radiating iins 26, firmly secured nto or formed integral with the body and extending from end to end` thereof. -Besides the -luppereand lower bosses i0, IIfeachfsection S is furthermore provided with opposite end plugs f211, audi in 'fthe final assemblage, theseplug's 21 `may-.cc,vntemff,r the adjacent surfaces-of the suspension yWalls i1. .'Ehe

return bends I3 may ibe, formed in. ialyidesired.

manner, but as shownneachoi the-*return hands I3 which connect the adjacent bosses 'tgilll raf the sections flfconsists of threepipenipples'', .u

29, 3U, two elbowslf,y anda uiiion'33ias shovcn in Figs. land 2, and since all of ,these elements are standard pipe fittings, they permit'rapid and convenient -assenlbly and dismantling whilef fording tight l -connections when lploperly; iassembled. The air supply and outlet pipeslfll., '4,4 and the .condensate discharge 4pipe l5, may all be formed of standard piping land 4fittings, and the upper endof .the condensed kliouiiddischarge pipe communicates with asuitable trap 3ft which may be of relativelystandarddesign Aadapted,tu permit delivery'of the liquid without permitting escape of compressed .air from thesystem.

'During normal operation Lvof .theimproyedcom.; f y

` 75 and the unit functions automatically when proppressed air cooler and condensate remover, and

be admitted to the lower portion of the cooling chamber '8 Vthrough the supply pipe I6, and this his coounefuquidiwm-graduauy rise along the armed f` sections 9 and will extract heat from the oppositely advancing stream of compressed air.

through the radiator bodies 25 and fins 26, thus gradually cooling the air and condensing excess moisture therefrom. The spent `cooling water will eyentually be deliver-ed from the `chamber 8 through .discharge pipe .I'hand the watercf condensation will flow `dowmi/.ar dly with the air stream, through the sections ,9 and the lower portions of the .outletiffpipes I4, where it will escape into the 4pipes I5. After rising ytl'irough the pipes ,l5 `due itc rthe Vair l.pressure within the systemlthe condensate will escape past the `trap 34, and relatively dryand cool air under pressure will thus be constantly delivered `from the cooling unit through the pipe I4. The degree chocol-ing will depend upon the temperature of the compressed air :and of the cooling liquid, but yit .is ,to be `noted that y.cooling .-is eieoted ,by counter iow 'of the air and liquid, .and that the cooling ,operation is entirely automatic.

By virtue ,of the fact that ,the entire cooling unit may be constructed and assembled from standard .sheet .material -such -as fsteel Vor yother metal, piping, ,-pipe liittings .and heat transfer sections., the cost ofcenstruction isreduced -,t o a minimum and noanufaoture `thereof is greatly tacilitated. While a coolingunit compnisingvtwo adjacent .seis `each A consisting -o'i :live superim posed :sections 8, has been 'shown herein :by may of illustration. ythe iceolerimay embody am!` de aired 4nurlrrber lof "sets :and :any desired number otfseotions :in each set', depending Vupon :the 'here formanee required; and one `tor .more air ,supply and outlet pipes 42, 't4 may .be lutilz he speciclformation-.andfceroperationiorethennned sections. i9 with the awalis `tis iimnortant, :since the. integral `eccontiically disposed and :bosses I0, II of the sections '9 which snugly coactyvith thenomalined openings ,Bil :of itne 'walls Fl, .positively `prevent .possible irotation pr displacement oftthe :sections I :relative 'to :the .suspension iwalls tp and=thetierods2m sleeves/ZI, washers Maand nuts 223 .'faoilitate :assembly lof the walls -arid heat transfer 'radiator sections '9 outside of the main casing 6, and application of the return bends lf3 'to l'the*hollow bosses lI0, H The hhed heat'transferradiator `sections 8 Ymay Yhe readily manufactured andA lhavemaximum heat rachat-l ing capacity consideringthe'snace occupiednarid their use Aalso ,provides flexibility ,in construe@ tion .since .all of the :sections .9, .,arepfddentical and .symmetrical .orination :and are V,thereioige interchangeable with each other and. may be reversals! fpositioned. l'heessembly of the ele;` ments so that -the r4compressed air `flows .insa direction cppositetothe direction .of .iiowzontne cooling liquid, alsoinsures .mostieioient cooling,

erly initially adjusted to produce the desired results.

From the foregoing detailed description of the construction and operation of the improved cooling device, it will be apparent that my present invention provides a cooling unit for compressed air or the like, which is extremely simple and compact in construction, and which is moreover highly eflicient in operation. The improved counter-flow cooling assemblage can obviously be readily assembled, inspected, and dismantled, and may be manufactured in sizes to meet various operating conditions, at moderate cost. The improved cooler has proven highly satisfactory in actual use, and while the assemblage is especially adapted for use in cooling compressed air and to extractl liquid of condensation therefrom, with the aid of cooling water, it may also be put to other uses in other industries.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construction or to the precise mode of use and operation, herein shown and described, for various modications Within the scope of the appended claims, may occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In combination, a main casing, parallel upright walls loosely and removably disposed with- .in said casing and having vertically spaced openings therein of which the openings in one wall are out of horizontal alinement with those in the other wall, a series of superimposed finned elongated heat transfer sections horizontally spanning the space between said walls and each having a single internal chamber and non-alined hollow opposite end bosses communicating with upper and lower portions of said chamber and being slip-tted within a set of said wall openings so as to prevent rotation of said sections relative to said walls, tie-rod assemblages interconnecting said walls so as to definitely maintain the same in proper spaced relation and to retain said bosses within said openings, removable conduit means connecting the lower boss of each section with the upper boss of the adjacent lower section to provide a continuous downwardly directed zig-zag passage for fluid extending throughout said series, means for constantly admitting cooling medium to the lower portion of the space between said walls, and an outlet for spent cooling medium at the upper portion of said space.

2. In combination, a main casing, horizontally spaced upright walls loosely and removably disposed within said casing and having vertically spaced openings therein of which the openings in one Wall are out of horizontal alinement with 5 those in the other wall, a series of superimposed elongated heattransfer sections horizontally spanning the space between said walls and each having a single internal chamber and nonalined hollow opposite end bosses communicating with the upper and lower' portions of said chamber and being slip-tted within a, set of said wall openings so as to prevent rotation of said sections relative to said walls, tie rod assemblages interconnecting said walls so as to denitely maintain the same in proper spaced relation and to retain said bosses within said openings, removable conduit means connecting the lower boss of each section with the upper boss of the adjacentlower section to provide a continuous downwardly directed zig-zag passage for uid extending throughout said series, and means for introducing cooling liquid into the lower portion of the space between said walls and for delivering spent cooling liquid `from the upper portion thereof.

3. In combination, a main casing, parallel upright walls loosely and removably disposed within said casing and having vertically spaced openings therein of which the openings in one wall are out of horizontal alinement with those in the other wall, a series of superimposed elongated heat transfer sections horizontally spanning the space between said walls and each having a single internal chamber and non-alined hollow opposite end bosses communicating with the upper and lower portions of said chamber and being slip-tted within a set of said wall openings so as to prevent rotation of said sections relative to said walls, tie rods connecting said walls, sleeves embracing said tie rods and coacting with the adjacent surfaces of said walls and with said rods so as to denitelyvmaintain the walls in proper spaced relation and to retain said bosses within said openings, removable return bends 'connecting the lowerboss of each section with the upper boss of the adjacent lower section to provide a continuous downwardly directed zig-zag passage for fluid extending throughout said series, conduit means for ad-l mitting cooling liquid to the lower portion of the space between said walls, and an outlet for spent cooling liquid communicating with the upper portion of said space.

CARL E. STAKY. 

